If I do manage to book a chamber tour how much time at a minimum should I set aside for Boyne Valley attractions? Also, if NOT touring the chamber is the visitor center alone worth a stop? And again, how much time makes sense.
Considering a tour later in day in Carlingford and don't want to overbook/be too ambitious.
Any insight much appreciated. Thanks in advance
We did the Knowth and Newgrange tour last month, booked 30 days out. It was a very cold and windy day and I think we spent about 4 efficient hours total with their well organized drive from the visitor’s center to and between the sites. Included in the 4 hours was the time we spent at the visitor’s center, about 1/2 hour. It was late in the afternoon and the nice cafe was closing so we didn’t linger for food or drink. It is a unique site, hard to imagine missing it if you are going to be in that part of Ireland.
You can weigh this one of a kind site with what you hope to see on a tour of a costal town with castle and abbey ruin. If you want to see high crosses and an excellent abbey very close to Newgrange, drive 10-15 drive to the Mellinfont Abbey and Monasterboice sites. If the tour at Carlingford has stronger appeal to you choose that. If you are going from south to north that day, you’ll need to book an early tour at Newgrange. IMO just seeing the well done visitor’s center at Newgrange isn’t enough.
Thank you.
I've been to the site before, but many years ago. I would love to return but again with newbies but I can't confirm I will have tickets til we get closer (hence plan B) and also slightly paranoid about booking/$ and having a travel delay (this would be a visit on the day we land in Dublin) problem. We could skip Boyne valley completely and just head straight to Carlingford likely easiest but less appealing.
What time does your flight land? Assuming you clear immigration without long lines and make your way to the car rental facility I’d say you cannot do both Newgrange and Carlingford on the same day. It’s pretty risky to book timed tickets on day of arrival. We also spent time in traffic backups at the airport M50 to M1 transition during the 3 weeks we stayed in the Boyne Valley area.
we land at 8am but that is my exact concern (pre-booked tickets/travel delay).
As of now, we head to Carlingford either way. it's whether we do something else along the way/and if there's anything else in Carlingford beyond the castle that may want to see.
thanks
Having been to Carlingford (admittedly, I didn't do any tours or visit the castle) and Newgrange, I can't imagine prioritizing Carlingford over Newgrange. I'm not you, of course. There is a lot to see in the Boyne Valley and lots of places to stay. Why not book an afternoon time for Newgrange (in case of delay) and stay the night nearby? If the flight is on time and the car rental pickup goes smoothly, you might even have time for another sight along the way. Hill of Tara? Lunch at Trim Castle?
Although we enjoyed Newgrange enough to go twice (different years), I also liked the Boyne Museum. It really clarified at least one side's view of the rebellion. I wouldn't bother with the Visitor Center if you fail to get a booking although they do have a unpredictable number of cancellations which you might grab.
Depending on where you flight is coming from, doing anything on arrival day can be a mistake. We arrive in Dublin after 16 hours of travel, and I will drive maybe 2 hrs on arrival, but I have a lot of wrong side experience and I often drive 10-12 hours in the states.
Don't disagree at all with the two above posts. I'm game to blow off Carlingford for better plan just trying to figure out what's easiest and four hours at new grange might be ambitious. Different Boyne Valley itinerary? Open to ideas.
I'm currently double booked the first night - Carlingford and Royal Hillsborough. Need to cancel one of my hotels (soon).
While I don't want to rush, I'm not all terribly concerned about the driving the first day...I'm more concerned about waking teenagers the second day and was trying to stay within an hour-ish of Belfast..
That said, I struck out significantly when looking for reasonable boyne valley accommodations. Belfast is hard deadline the following day - 11am.
If you have to be in Belfast at 11am the next day, I would opt for going as far north as you feel you will be able to drive. Can you add a night to your Belfast accommodation? That way, you don't have to worry about any flight delays or making your 11am commitment. It sounds like you wouldn't be very comfortable leaving the day open to see how it unfolds, but there are plenty of places to stop along the way, including Carlingford.
P.S. That's exactly why we stayed in Carlingford, to get out of Dublin but not too far. We arrived at 5pm, though.
Carlingford is quite a detour from the M1 route from Dublin to Belfast where you have something booked for 11am on day two. If you do go to Newgrange there is an Inn very close to the visitors center that looked nice. We also ate at an Inn/restaurant on the M1 near our house 3x in 3 weeks. Bonus were the high crosses at Monasterboice, the abbey at Mellinfort and the Battle of the Boyne visitors center and gardens also near this M1 exit.
http://monasterboice-inn.ie/
Thank you all....still on fence
I do actually have a 2nd night booked in Belfast though I'm planning to cancel it in favor of Coleraine ( I think?). Hate to do three individual nights but don't want to backtrack from GC to Belfast for night 3 as night 4 in donegal (where we stay put before 3 nights in Dublin)
Anyway - yes -- was concerned the trip east to Carlingford peninsula is out of the way. Though day 1 driving remains same if we stay there or Rhillsborough....its only day 2 driving impact in the morning thats longer from Carlingford. While I know there's not a ton there it seemed cuter than say drogheda?
there's nothing close to new grange with the right availability. also, maybe not far enough to Belfast?
Seems there's enough in the Boyne even if I don't manage to book actual new grange passage tour.
That said, I think we land, sort car, head to say Boyne Valley visitor center, monasterboice, high crosses, hill of tara, and the chamber you can't go in, Dowth? forget the name. probably can't hit all of these. Then head north to r Hillsborough or north/east to Carlingford.
If anyone has any ideas of best route from order to visit these sites/easy on off highway it would be appreciated. Thanks again
If you don't want to have three one-night stays in a row, then go directly to Belfast from the airport and stay there for two nights. There is plenty to see and do in Belfast without having to fill up the drive there with things you're (seemingly) not really interested in.
Instead of Coleraine, consider Derry. Your young men will enjoy the bars there. Also, the city walls and the Museum of Free Derry. Puts Donegal on your doorstep.
We spent 3 nights in Navan this past May and it was just about right to visit the historic sights plus do a day trip to Drogheda. I would NOT do just the visitor center. Allow for a 1/2 day or so.
